--- title: Trump Removes Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary description: Trump's announcement follows Noem's disastrous appearance before a congressional committee. Senator Markwayne Mullin will replace her. canonical: https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/ author: Nik Popli article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2026-03-05T19:04:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-05T22:24:21.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Kristi Noem Removed as Homeland Security Secretary og:description: Trump's announcement comes after Noem had a disastrous congressional hearing this week. og:url: https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7bedc532ef3c7f6/69b048abafd29adaed246307/GettyImages-2264608400.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Testifies To Senate Judiciary Committee og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Kristi Noem Removed as Homeland Security Secretary twitter:description: Trump's announcement comes after Noem had a disastrous congressional hearing this week. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7bedc532ef3c7f6/69b048abafd29adaed246307/GettyImages-2264608400.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Trump Removes Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=06545614-7b4b-44a1-9ecf-1f687a2ce547&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Kristi Noem testifies in the Senate in her first appearance since Minneapolis protesters' deaths [Watch (HLS stream): Kristi Noem testifies in the Senate in her first appearance since Minneapolis protesters' deaths](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/8LZUDBK9.m3u8) (2:51)  _Published 2026-03-03. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified in the Senate on Tuesday in her first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis galvanized widespread opposition to how the Trump administration was executing its mass deportation agenda._  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Updated: Mar 5, 2026 10:24 PM UTCPublished: Mar 5, 2026 7:04 PM UTC  Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on March 03, 2026 in Washington, DC. Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images  by [Nik Popli](https://time.com/author/nik-popli/)  ## Nik Popli Staff Writer Updated: Mar 5, 2026 10:24 PM UTCPublished: Mar 5, 2026 7:04 PM UTC President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he would replace embattled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Markwayne Mullin, a Republican Senator from Oklahoma, following a week of contentious congressional hearings that intensified scrutiny of her leadership and the department’s [handling of immigration enforcement](http://How Trump's ICE Became an Agency in Crisis). Trump announced the change in post on Truth Social, saying Mullin would become Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security effective March 31\. Noem, he said, would instead serve as “Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas,” a role tied to a new regional security initiative his Administration plans to unveil this weekend in Florida. The decision marks one of the most high-profile personnel changes of Trump’s second term so far and the first time he has removed a cabinet secretary since returning to office. It follows another prominent shake-up earlier this year when Trump replaced his National Security Adviser Mike Waltz after the controversy surrounding a Signal group chat leak of sensitive war planning discussions. Noem, a former governor of South Dakota, had been a central figure in carrying out the Trump Administration’s aggressive immigration agenda, one of the top issues that Trump campaigned on. As head of DHS, she oversaw agencies responsible for border security, immigration enforcement and disaster response, and became the most visible public face of the Administration’s sweeping deportation campaign and crackdown along the southern border. But her tenure was marked by mounting controversies that eroded support inside and outside the Administration. Over the past several months, DHS has faced intense scrutiny after federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens during [immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis](https://time.com/7368923/minneapolis-ice-operation-protests-renee-good-alex-pretti/) earlier this year, sparking protests and calls for investigations into the agency’s tactics. **Read more:** [_How Trump's ICE Became an Agency in Crisis_](https://time.com/7358027/ice-agents-minnesota-alex-pretti-abolish-ice/) The turmoil has coincided with a standoff in Congress over funding for the department. Its budget authority lapsed in mid-February, forcing a partial shutdown affecting agencies including the Transportation Security Administration, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Coast Guard, while Democrats have pressed the White House for changes to immigration enforcement practices as a condition for restoring full funding. Trump’s frustration with Noem escalated sharply this week after she appeared before congressional committees for oversight hearings. Lawmakers from both parties questioned her about a $220 million government advertising campaign encouraging undocumented immigrants to leave the United States voluntarily—a campaign that prominently featured Noem herself. At one point during questioning from Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, Noem said the President had signed off on the ad campaign. The statement reportedly angered Trump, who said he had not approved the initiative. “I never knew anything about it,” Trump later said in an [interview with Reuters](https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-says-he-didnt-sign-off-200-million-border-security-ad-campaign-2026-03-05/). The firm that handled the ad campaign was connected to the husband of Noem’s former spokesperson, drawing further scrutiny. Noem defended the contract process, telling lawmakers that it had gone through a “competitive process” and was “all done correctly, all done legally.” During the hearings, Noem was also questioned over her relationship with Corey Lewandowski, a Trump ally who ran his 2016 campaign and works as a special adviser at DHS. Noem and Lewandowski have both publicly denied rumors of an affair. While the details of Noem’s appointment as the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas are unclear, she [wrote](https://x.com/Sec%5FNoem/status/2029647010002055467) in a post on social media that she will work closely with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren.” Reflecting on her tenure running DHS, Noem added: “We have made historic accomplishments at the Department of Homeland Security to make America safe again: we delivered the MOST secure border in American history, 3 million illegal aliens have left the U.S., we have located 145,000 children, FEMA delivered disaster relief at a 100% faster rate, we ushered in the golden age of travel, saved the American taxpayer $13 billion and revitalized the U.S. Coast Guard.” Democrats immediately celebrated Noem’s ouster, but cautioned that replacing her would not resolve their deeper concerns about DHS. The party has remained largely unified in its refusal to advance the stalled annual Homeland Security funding bill without several changes to immigration enforcement tactics, including requirements for court-issued warrants before federal agents enter private property, clear identification and badge numbers for agents, limits on masks, expanded use of body cameras, new use-of-force standards, and ensuring independent investigations of shootings. “The President has fired Kristi Noem—good riddance,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters. “But the problems at this agency transcend any one person. The rot is deep. The President has to end the violence and rein in ICE.” Mullin, a close ally of Trump, served a decade in the House of Representatives before being elected to the Senate. Trump noted that he is a member of the Cherokee Nation and the only Native American currently serving in the Senate. “A MAGA Warrior, and former undefeated professional MMA fighter, Markwayne truly gets along well with people, and knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Advance our America First Agenda,” Trump wrote in his announcement. “Markwayne will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.” Before entering politics, Mullin ran a plumbing business and was a mixed martial arts fighter with a professional record of 5-0\. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. “There's a lot of work we can do to get the Department of Homeland Security working for the American people,” Mullin told reporters outside the Capitol after the announcement, adding that DHS has a “very broad jurisdiction.” Asked what lessons he’s picked up from Noem’s tenure, Mullin responded: “She was tasked to do a very difficult job and I think she has performed the best she can do. And underneath the circumstances is there’s always lessons that can be learned… there's an opportunity to build off successes, and there's also opportunities to build off things that maybe didn't go quite as planned.” Once formally nominated by Trump, Mullin is expected to face confirmation hearings in the Senate, where he will be grilled by Democrats over his plans to oversee the Administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. At least one Senate Democrat, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, has [announced](https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/2029632577540100542) that they would support Mullin’s confirmation. Schumer was non-committal when asked if Democrats would block any DHS secretary nominee from being confirmed. “I don't trust any one person being in charge of this agency, as long as Trump is President, given the policies he's espoused,” he told reporters. If confirmed, Oklahoma’s Republican Governor Kevin Stitt would be responsible for appointing a temporary replacement to fill the Senate vacancy. He has [vowed](https://x.com/GovStitt/status/2029640252659585335) to “appoint a strong, small government conservative voice to support President Trump and protect Oklahomans’ way of life.” ## Transcript Okay. Uh, we'll. Be responding to disaster. Not nice. Explain why you decided to brand these victims that we all saw on video, who were out protesting the activities of your agency and were killed as a result of it. How did you think that calling them domestic terrorists at that scene was somehow going to calm the situation? You know, Senator, we are working in those situations where there's a tragic loss of life and that there is something that our agents are involved in, that we continue to deliver information. Is it so hard to say you were wrong? We continue as these investigations continue to go, we will absolutely strive to provide factual information and will continue. When you fail. Do you admit it publicly? Absolutely. We always know. You admit it now. Improvement that we will. Make. And what we've seen is a disaster under your leadership, Miss Noem, a disaster. What we've seen is innocent people getting detained that turn out are American citizens. And I'm saying, Miss Noem, that time after time after time, I've been disappointed. The fact that you can't admit to a mistake which looks like under investigation, it's going to prove that Miss Good and Mr. Pretty probably should not have been shot in the face and in the back. Law enforcement needs to learn from that. You don't protect them by not looking after the facts. But I want to submit this letter from the Office of Inspector General that cites ten different instances under Miss Noem's leadership, where they've been misled and not allowed to pursue investigations that they think are critically important. That is why I've called for your resignation. Immigration was your president's number one issue, overwhelmingly popular with the American people, but now it's overwhelmingly unpopular. And it's not because you are deporting dangerous people that everybody here wants out of our country. No, it's because you're going into our schools, you're terrorizing our children, you're detaining children, you're arresting Americans, you're breaking into our homes. You're terrorizing our streets. You're violating our rights to peacefully protest again and again and again. And they want a court tells you. None of that is. True. And then when. You are trying to impede. Violate. Judges orders and getting dangerous criminals off of our streets. Either you are utterly incompetent or you are violating laws with impunity. You should step down from your position. If you don't, you should be removed by this president and if not, Congress should impeach you. I appreciate the encouragement. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/"},"headline":"Trump Removes Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary","datePublished":"2026-03-05T19:04:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-05T22:24:21.000Z","description":"Trump's announcement comes after Noem had a disastrous appearance before Congress this week.","url":"https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/","keywords":["Trump Administration","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7bedc532ef3c7f6/69b048abafd29adaed246307/GettyImages-2264608400.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Nik Popli","jobTitle":"Staff Writer","url":"https://time.com/author/nik-popli/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7bedc532ef3c7f6/69b048abafd29adaed246307/GettyImages-2264608400.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Testifies To Senate Judiciary Committee","caption":"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem Testifies To Senate Judiciary Committee","creditText":"Chip Somodevilla—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/trump-administration/","name":"Trump Administration"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/","name":"Trump Removes Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Kristi Noem testifies in the Senate in her first appearance since Minneapolis protesters' deaths","description":"Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified in the Senate on Tuesday in her first congressional appearance since the shooting deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis galvanized widespread opposition to how the Trump administration was executing its mass deportation agenda.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/8LZUDBK9/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2026-03-03T19:52:12.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/8LZUDBK9.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/","duration":"PT2M51S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/7382719/kristi-noem-removed-homeland-security-secretary-markwayne-mullin/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```